Don’t let them forget your idea! Having an audience in front of you, whatever the size, is a wonderful opportunity to make a positive impact by sharing your idea. During the BSN Staff Conference, staff investigated ways to improve the listening potential of their audiences and the quality of the aural experience provided by a speaker. Key aspects covered included: how to have an impactful and memorable start (those first few seconds are the most important!), how media can be utilised to compliment instead of distract from your message, and which resources are best to use (it was agreed that personalised stories are a great option.) Finally, staff analysed the physical movements and voice control used by a confident public speaker. Working as part of a supportive team meant that all could feel confident to trial new skills when speaking publicly to ensure their ideas are focused and memorable. Martin Pratt, JSV Teacher
At the BSN we recognise the important role teaching assistants play in supporting the teaching and learning of our students. During the BSN Staff Conference, I led a workshop that examined research on how teaching assistants can have maximum impact in their roles. Staff explored how they could work with students in different ways to develop their independent learning strategies. They left the session committing to one intention they would implement back in the classroom. A favourite one was: “Allow children to show me what they can do. Step back.”■ Rebecca Van Homan, ILA Professional Development Lead and JSL Teacher
At the BSN we are committed to having the best professional learning and development for staff. We are very excited that we will be offering the full suite of CACHE Supporting Teaching and Learning qualifications from Level 1 to Level 4; the only accredited centre in Europe to do so. For more information visit bsnila.com
#BSNConf19 @BSNLearn
@BSNIntLA 5
